Summer Pasta Salad Pesto (Printable)

A refreshing summer pasta with fresh basil pesto, juicy cherry tomatoes, and a hint of parmesan.

# What You'll Need:

→ Pasta

01 - 10.5 oz short pasta such as fusilli, penne, or farfalle
02 - Salt for boiling water

→ Pesto

03 - 1.75 oz fresh basil leaves
04 - 1.4 oz pine nuts, lightly toasted
05 - 1 garlic clove
06 - 1.75 oz parmesan cheese, grated
07 - 3.4 fl oz extra virgin olive oil
08 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

→ Salad Components

09 - 8.8 oz cherry tomatoes, halved
10 - 1.75 oz baby arugula, optional
11 - 1 oz parmesan shavings for garnish
12 - Zest of 1 lemon

# How to Make It:

01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook pasta until al dente according to package directions. Drain and rinse under cold water to cool completely. Set aside.
02 - While pasta cooks, combine basil leaves, pine nuts, garlic, and grated parmesan in a food processor. Blend until finely chopped. Gradually add olive oil while blending until smooth. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
03 - In a large mixing bowl, combine cooled pasta, cherry tomatoes, and arugula if using.
04 - Add pesto to the bowl and toss thoroughly to coat all ingredients. Adjust seasoning as needed.
05 - Transfer salad to a serving platter. Top with parmesan shavings and lemon zest. Serve immediately or chill up to 2 hours before serving.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • It tastes like summer in a bowl, and honestly, that's half the reason I make it.
  • Everything comes together in less than 30 minutes, so you can spend more time eating outside than stuck in the kitchen.
  • The homemade pesto is so much brighter than jarred that you'll wonder why you ever settled for less.
02 -
  • Don't rinse your pesto bowl with hot water right after making it or you'll waste that green coating stuck to the sides—use cold water and a spatula to save every drop.
  • If your pesto breaks and looks grainy or separated, it usually means you added the oil too fast; whisk in a tablespoon of cold water and it'll come back together.
03 -
  • If you're making this ahead for a picnic, keep the pesto separate until the last minute so the pasta doesn't get soggy—bring them together just before you leave the house.
  • Pine nuts can be expensive, and honestly, lightly toasted almonds or sunflower seeds work beautifully if you want to save money or avoid tree nuts.
Go Back